Mind Games
by Angel Breedlove
Summary: Angel's joined Mutant X, but when she gets kidnapped, can they save her in time? And is there an enemy in their midst?
1. Default Chapter

Angel bit her lip in concentration, and glared at the computer screen. "Come on...come on..." she muttered quietly. "Download already, dammit."  
"Angel, what are you doing?"  
Angel jumped guiltily, then spun around. "Adam...hi!"  
Adam crossed his arms. "You didn't answer my question," he said, smiling slightly.  
Angel moved to block the computer screen, then let out a startled yelp as it beeped.  
"Nothing," she squeaked.  
Adam sighed, then smiled and shook his head. "Just don't crash the system, okay?"  
Angel flushed. 'I'm insulted."  
"Hey, you're the one hacking into your own computer system," Adam pointed out, pulling on his jacket.  
Angel eyed him. "Where are you going?" she asked slowly.  
"We're meeting a New Mutant," Adam replied. "And you're not coming with us."   
"Why not?" Angel asked, frowning.   
"Because you're not ready yet," Adam explained. "You haven't done enough training."   
"Training? Adam, most of my life has been training!" Angel argued.   
"Yes, I know, but not right _kind_ of training."   
Angel looked at Adam blankly. "What?"   
Adam thought for a moment, trying to choose his words carefully. "You know how to fight well - very well, in fact - when along, but you haven't worked as part of a team before."   
This statement was met with a glare. "Gee, thank you," Angel replied sarcastically.   
Adam groaned silently. "Angel, I don't have time to argue with you right now. I want you to stay here. We'll discuss this later." He walked out, leaving Angel fuming.   
She pouted for a moment, then jumped as the computer beeped again. It took her a moment to realize it was the phone. "Oh! Answer."   
"Angel, it's Michelle. What are you doing?"   
"Upgrading Sanctuary," Angel replied.   
There was a laugh. 'Upgrading, or hacking into?"   
Angel grinned wickedly. "Hacking into. So, what's up?"   
"X-Men the Movie is on!" Michelle gushed. "Sneak preview! It's got John Shea, Victoria Pratt, Forbes March, Lauren Lee Smith, and - "Michelle paused dramatically. "- Victor Webster!"   
Angel squealed delightedly. "Omigod! I _love_ Victor Webster! He's soooo hot!"   
"Y'know," Michelle said thoughtfully, "he kinda looks like Brennan."   
Angel snorted derisively. "Please. He looks _nothing_ like Brennan."   
"Suit yourself. Are you coming?" Michelle replied.   
"Umm...I don't know." Adam had told Angel to stay at Sanctuary, but - it was only a sneak preview. She could be gone and back before Adam returned...  
"Well?"   
Angel made up her mind. "Where's the movie playing?"   
"Club Xero Theatre," Michelle said.   
"I'll be there in ten minutes." Angel grabbed her jacket. "Computer - message." Angel paused for a moment, then shook her head. It was too late to back out now. "Adam, it's Angel. I've gone to the Club Xero Theatre with Michelle. I'll be back soon. End message."   



	2. Introducing - Jon

Emma looked around the empty mall. "Where is everyone?"  
"It's like they all left," Jesse agreed.  
"Gee," Shalimar commented sarcastically. "Ya think?"  
Jesse glared at her for a moment, then turned to Adam. "What do you think?"  
"Something definately isn't right," Adam said. "Let's get to Grafix, get our New Mutant, and get out."  
"So," Brennan asked, as they headed for the clothing store where Angel had formerly worked," what's this guy's powers?"  
"He said he was a Feral Feline."  
Suddenly, Shalimar gave a yell, and jumped back, as a figure landed on the ground in front of her.  
"Took you long enough," the figure said. "the GSA's been roaming around."  
"You're Jonathan," Adam said.  
Jonathan nodded, and ran a hand through his cropped blonde hair. "And you must be Mutant X. Pleasure - can we go now?"  
"Why the hurry?" Brennan growled.  
Jonathan gave him a look. "Do the letters G-S-A mean anything to you?"  
He walked past Brennan, who bristled, and gave a cough that sounded decidedly like **[censer]**_**(Author's Note:**You don't want to know what he said...trust me.)_ :)  
"You don't like him, do you?" Emma asked Brennan quietly.  
He shook his head. "I'm no Telempath, but there's someting about that guy I don't trust."  
"Well," Emma replied with a mischievious grin. "I _am_ a telempath." She let her eyes drop for a moment, then jerked them up at Jonathan.  
"He's lying."  
Brennan glanced at Emma in surprise. "What? What about?"  
"The GSA agents. There isn't one in a three-mile radius."  
Brennan's eyes narrowed. "Lying, huh?"  
Emma nodded. "Should we tell Adam?"  
Brennan shook his head. "Not yet. We don't have any evidence." He glared at Jonathan, walking ahead with Adam, and muttered, "I'm keeping an eye on you, pretty boy."  



	3. Angel gets caught

Angel grinned at Michelle as they got into line. "This going to be awesome!"  
Michelle grinned back. "I know!" She leaned in conspiratorily. "Isn't it ironic that two mutants are going to watch a movie about mutants?"  
Angel shrugged. "Honestly, I thin about ninety percent of the people here are mutants." She thought for a moment. "I'm surprised the GSA hasn't arrived already."  
As if on cue, the lobby of the Club Xero Theatre was filled with shouting.  
"What's going on?" Michelle asked, craning her neck to peer over the frantic crowd.  
Angel closed her eyes, mentally surveying the room, then groaned. "Adam's gonna kill me."  
Michelle glanced at her friend in alarm. "Tell me those aren't who I think they are."  
Angel nodded grimly. "GSA agents," she confirmed, bringing her hands together in a wide sweeping motion. An arc of electricity appeared between them. Angel surveyed the room, then let the arc fly at the nearest agent, sending him flying across the room. Simultaneously, Michelle sprang into action, pouncing on two agents. She gasped as a thried agent grabbed her, slamming a subdermal governor into her neck.  
"Michelle!" Angel cried, before she found herself surrounded by agents. She managed to knock three-quarters of them out before also being implanted. Angel groaned again. "Adam is definately gonna kill me." She waited until no-one was watching, then lifted her comlink ring. "Adam? It's Angel..." 


	4. Adam gets the message

"You have - two messages."  
Adam stared at the computer screen. Beside him, Jesse raised an eyebrow. "When did we get an answering machine?"  
"Angel." Adam shook his head. "Playback."  
"Message 1 - "  
Adam shook his head again as Angel's first message played. "I told her to stay here," he muttered quietly to himself.  
"Message 2 -" Angel's voice was much louder this time.  
"Adam, it's Angel. Michelle and a bunch of New Mutants have been caught. Me too. Gotta go!"  
Jesse gasped. "Caught? By the GSA?"  
"Gee, you think?"  
Jesse glared at Shalimar. 'Is that your favourite saying or something?"  
Shalimar grinned at him, then turned to Adam. "So, guess we're taking a trip to Genomex, huh?"  
"Trip to Genomex?"  
Adam nodded to Brennan and Emma, as the two joined the group. "Angel has been saptured by the GSA."  
Brennan shook his head in amazement. "This girl gets herself into more trouble then _I_ do."  
Emma giggled. "I'll stay here with Jonathan."  
"Good idea," Adam agreed. "We'll keep in touch - I may need your abilities."  
"So," Brennan asked, as the group headed for their stealth aircraft, the Double Helix. "What's the plan?"  
"We use Emma's telempathic abilities to find Angel, then get her out of there."  
"No offense, but that's not much of a plan," Shalimar commented drily.  
"I know," Adam admitted, "but I"m not entirely sure what Ekchart's up to."  
"Well," Brennan said. "Guess we're about to find out."  



	5. Word play

Angel glared ath Eckhart. "Are you going to stare at that computer screen all day, or what?"  
Eckhart held up a hand, then, after a moment, looked up at Angel.  
"Thank you. Now - what the hell do you want?"  
Eckhart frowned slightly. "Now really - is that any way to talk to your father?" he asked smoothly.  
"Bite me." Angel struggled aginst the bindings attached to her wrists and ankles. "Y'know, normal fathers don't strap their daughters to chairs, or implant them with subdermal governors."  
Eckhart shrugged. "Normal fathers don't have to worry that their daughters will try to kill them."  
"Shows how out of touch with the world you are."  
Ekchart raised an eyebrow. He had to admit, Angel was never at a losss for words. "Forgive the treatment, but precaution seemed appropriate, given the circumstances."  
"You mean the fact that you kidnapped me."  
Eckhart pretended not to hear. "I do hope we can overcome our differences, and work together."  
Angel stared at Eckhart. "Excuse me?" Realization dawned on her face. "You want me to join Genomex?"  
Eckhart nodded. "Think about it, my dear. I think you would enjoy being a part of the GSA."  
"You mean killing my own kind? Forget it!" Angel retorted. "and don't call me dear.",br> "Angel, Angel, Angel." Eckhart rose, and looked out the window of his office, into the stasis chamber beyond. "We don't kill New Mutants."  
"No, you put them in stasis pods for future study, which amounts to about the same thing," Angel snarled. "Besides, I have this thing about working for monsters."  
Eckhart looked offended. "I am _not_ a monster."  
"No, you're right," Angel replied. "I believe the word Adam used was sociopath!"  
"Do you believe everything Adam tells you?"  
"He _is_ my father."  
"So am I."  
"Y'know, I was _trying_ to forget that."  
Eckhart took a deep breath. He would not allow himself to be baited by; a 19-year-old freak. 'You're beginning to try my patience, Miss Breedlove."  
"Untie me, and I'll try more than that." Angel grinned wickedly. "I'll give you an experience you'll never forget, assuming you live."  
"I take it then that you don't wish to join Genomex?" Eckhart asked.  
Angel rolled her eyes. "Geez, you figure that out all on your own?"  
"Very well, then. You leave me no other choice." He pressed a button on his desk. Moments later, two burly GSA agents entered the room. "Put her into stasis."  
Angel's face paled. She was in serious trouble, and she knew it. No mutant had ever come out of stasis - well, not alive, anyway. She grimaced as the agents led her out of the office. **** she thought grimly. **** That didn't help. Angel sighed. 


	6. To the rescue

"Anything?" Adam asked into his Comlink ring.  
Emma's voice came back a moment later. "Not on Angel. Her governor must be blocking me somehow." There was a pause. "I did find Michelle, though."  
Adam nodded. "Good enough. She might be able to help us."  
Ten minutes, and three unconscious security guards later, the members of Mutant X were releasing Michelle from the GSA Holding Pen.  
"Do you know where Angel is?" Brennan asked.  
Michelle shook her head. "They separated us almost immediately."  
Brennan cursed under his breath. "Anyone got a Plan B?"  
"I may." Adam walked back inside. "I need a computer." He quickly found a terminal, and began to type.  
"What exactly are you doing?" Jesse asked.  
"I'm rerouting the internal communication network," Adam replied absentmindedly.  
"And that means?"  
"He's hacking into Genomex's e-mail system," Brennan explained.  
"Specifically, I'm tracking Eckhart's e-mail for mention of -" Adam's voice trailed off.  
"What's wrong?" Shalimar asked, watching as Adam's face paled.  
"Angel - is about to be placed in stasis," Adam said quietly.  



	7. Angel has doubts

Angel glared at Eckhart as two GSA agents let her into the stasis chamber. "Come to enjoy the show?"  
Eckhart smiled slightly. "Merely ensuring that you're made comfortable."  
"Somehow, I find that hard to believe."  
Eckhart's grin faltered, then darkened. "At least I"m here. I notice Adam hasn't shown up to save his precious daughter."  
Angel's eyes narrowed. "He'll be here."  
Eckhart nodded sympathetically. "Oh, I'm sure he will. But not in time, I'm afraid." He turned. "Prep her." Then Eckhart walked out, calling over his shoulder, "Sweet dreams, Angel."  
Angel gritted her teeth. The medics began shaving Angel's head, and changed her clothing for the bland stasis outfit. Tears welled in Angel's eyes. Numbly, she allowed the medics to place her in the stasis pod. 


	8. Adam's hacking again!

That's when the power went out. 


	9. Angel gets rescued

"You hold off the agents," Adam instructed, as Mutant X burst into the stasis chamber. "I'll find Angel." He surveyed the room, then grabbed a medic. "Where's Angel Breedlove?"  
The medic pointed. Adam threw him aside, and raced towards the pod. He was relieved to see the lid still open. "Angel?"  
"Adam? Adam, get me out of here!" Angel struggled against the restraints holding her down.  
"Hold on." Adam quickly released the restraints, then helped Angel into a sitting position.  
Angel wrapped her arms around his neck. "You came!"  
"Of course we came," Adam replied in surprise. "Why wouldn't we?"  
"Ohh...." Angel fidgeted, and looked down. After a moment, she took a deep breath, and looked up again. "So...how about getting rid of this governor?"  
Adam smiled. "Good idea." He deactivated the governor. "Now let's get out of here." he suggested, as Brennan ran up to them.  
Brennan smiled. "Nice 'do," he commented, running a hand over Angel's bald head.  
Angel grinned. "I'm imitating an egg." Then she shook her head. "That was the stupidest thing I've said all day."  
Brennan grinned. "Hey, you're words, not mine." By now, the rest of the Mutant X team had joined them.  
"So, what do you say we split?" Shalimar asked.  
"Sounds good to me," Angel agreed. "I think I've seen enough of Genomex to last me for quite a while, thank you."  
As the team made their way outside, Angel glanced behind her. Eckhart, of course, had disappeared. she vowed silently. 


	10. A mysterious second

Eckhart watched from his office as the members of Mutant X strode out of the room.  
"Do you want me to go after them?"  
Eckhart shook his head, then turned to the tall man who had spoken. "No, let them go. I have - other - matters to deal with them."   
Eckhart smiled. It was a smile that would have sent a chill down Adam's spine. Actually, it would have sent a chill down anyone's spine. "Don't worry, you'll get the chance to introduce yourself, in time."  



	11. Home again - and a mysterious call

Angel stroked the back of her neck. It felt good not to have anything there.  
"Thanks, Adam." Angel stood up, and stretched. "Ohh...that's feels good - what?"  
Adam was looking at Angel sternly. "You and I have to have a talk."  
"About?"  
Adam sat down on a nearby chair and looked thoughtfully at Angel. "You could have been seriously hurt," he said quietly. "Plus, you forced me to put the rest of my team at risk."  
Angel fidgeted uncomfortably. "I didn't mean to," she said in a small voice.  
"I know that, but you were supposed to be at Sanctuary," Adam pointed out. "You're a member of the Mutan X team, and part of being a team means trusting others, and following orders."  
Angel hung her head. How could she have been so careless, so - stupid? "I'm sorry."  
Adam nodded, and stood up. "I know." He gently squeezed Angel's shoulder, then changed the subject. "There's someone I want you to meet."  
As they walked together into the main room of Sanctuary, Adam ruffled Angel's hair. "I see your self-regenerative ability is working fine."  
Angel blushed. "Thanks. I don't want to be bald again. Ever."  
Adam smiled. "Angel, meet Jonathan."  
Angel stared at Jonatahn. "Uhh....hi."  
Jonathan smiled charismatically. "Hi," he replied. "Pleasure to meet you."  
"Likewise," Angel replied breathlessly. Her heart pounded madly as Jonathan's clear green eyes twinkled merrily at her. He leaned in close. "You're cute," he whispered, one hand resting gently on her arm.  
Angel flushed with pleasure, and embarassment. "Thanks."  
Unable to contain himself, Brennan stepped forward, clearing his throat noisily. "Angel, Michelle's waiting upstairs," he said loudly.  
Angel started, and stared blankly at Brennan for a moment. Then she gasped, a look of recognition dawning on her face. "Oh! Michelle!" Angel hurried out of the room.  
Brennan glared at Jonathan, who looked coolly back.  
"C'mon, Brennan. Let's go - train - or something," Emma said, tugging at Brennan's arm. He nodded, then left the room.  
Shalimar, standing nearby with Adam, whistled. "You get the feeling those two do not get along?"  
Adam nodded. "It's not surprising."  
"It's not?"  
Adam shrugged. "Brennan treats Angel as his little sister, and is probably being over-protective of her. She and Jonathan seemed to have some kind of Feral attraction between them."  
Shalimar grinned wickedly. "Brennan, being a big brother? That's something I have to see," she joked, as she and Adam left the room.

Jonathan watched as Adam and Shalimar left the room. After checking to make sure that he was alone, Jonathan pulled a cell phone out of his pocket, and hit the speed-dial button.  
"It's Jonathan. I'm in...no-well, except for Mr. Electricity...no, I'll be able to handle him...yes sir, she did...it shouldn't take more then two weeks...I'll keep you informed...yes,sir..."  
Jonathan hung up, and smiled. "The plan is coming along perfectly. He'll be very pleased," he muttered to himself, before striding out of the room. 


End file.
